


Meet the Barneses

by rainbow_nerds



Series: Soulmate AU [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Barnes family shenanigans, Becca is a little shit, But we love her, Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts, Fluff, M/M, Meeting the Parents, Schmoop, Shrunkyclunks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-01
Updated: 2019-11-01
Packaged: 2021-01-15 23:44:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21261581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainbow_nerds/pseuds/rainbow_nerds
Summary: It had been a hectic few weeks since Bucky and Steve met and realised they were soulmates. They hadn't really had much of a chance to connect yet, but Bucky was unable to hold off his family any longer. He just had to hope they wouldn't be too embarrassing and scare the man off.Bucky knew his family, and that kind of hope was lost where they were concerned.





	Meet the Barneses

**Author's Note:**

> Hey so I have been SUPER busy the last couple of weeks, i totally meant to update this sooner but I started student teaching, so between lesson plans and studying I barely had time to eat and sleep, let alone write! But now it's midterm, and I can finally add to this 'verse.  
Again, it's not super edited or even really proofread, I'm just writing this story for fun, so I hope you enjoy and let me know if you want more of this AU!

Bucky stood at the door to his childhood home, more nervous than he had ever been to have dinner with his family. And there was a very good reason for that. Today, Bucky would be introducing his family to his soulmate.

His actual, real life soulmate.

His mother had thought he was joking when he called to tell her who his soulmate was, and it had taken several days, and some worldwide breaking news for her to finally be convinced. He couldn’t blame her, however, because his soulmate was none other than Steve Rogers, also known as Captain America. It had been a hectic couple of weeks since they had met, and Bucky had spent most of it trying to adjust to having a soulmate. It was difficult to get to know someone, however, when they were being flown back and forth between various doctors, television studios and the white house.

It was starting to settle down now, finally, and Bucky and Steve had managed to get some time to themselves. Bucky liked Steve. A lot. He couldn’t wait to spend time with the man he had dreamed about since he was old enough to understand the concept of soulmarks. But before they could truly relax together, Bucky knew there was one more obstacle to overcome. They would not be permitted to relax until Steve had been introduced to the Barnes clan.

“You ready?” He asked, turning to see Steve standing behind him, wearing the softest cardigan imaginable and holding flowers (Tulips, Bucky had trained him well).

“Buck, they’re your family. I can’t wait to meet them.” Bucky smiled and took Steve’s free hand as he knocked on the door. The touch calmed him, and even though they hardly knew each other yet, Bucky felt sure that this was a sensation he would seek out for the rest of his life.

The door opened and Bucky’s sister Becca stood looking at them.

“Took you long enough to knock.” She teased, barely glancing at Bucky before her eyes flicked to Steve. “Come on in.” She grinned wickedly, and Bucky knew immediately that she was up to something. He cringed internally but stepped inside, pulling Steve behind him and taking off his jacket.

“Bucky, you’re here! How was the drive, I hope traffic wasn’t too bad? You look skinny, are you eating?” Winifred came out of the kitchen and began fussing over Bucky, before she noticed Steve. She smiled at the guest and shot a pointed look at Bucky.

“Right. Um. Steve, this is my mom, Winifred. Mom, this is Steve. My soulmate.” Steve smiled bashfully and handed the flowers over. Winifred simply beamed and threw her arms around him.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, finally! You know Bucky never shut up about you when he was growing up, we could hardly believe it was really you! Remind me to get out the photo album from his ninth birthday to show you, it’s a good one.” Steve looked flustered but amused as she held him, until Bucky managed to pull his mom away.

“Mom, is that smoke in the kitchen? Shouldn’t you check that?” Winifred jumped and turned to the kitchen.

“Your father is in the living room, go say hello! Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. Becca, go get water for these.” Becca rolled her eyes and went to find a vase, while Bucky led Steve through to the living room where his father sat with Becca’s husband, Will. They were mid debate on some topic or other, and hardly noticed them entering the room.

“I’m telling you, he’ll chase her out onto the street!”

“Absolutely not, he’ll just throw a pillow at her, it’s freezing out.”

“Ten dollars says I’m right.”

“You’re on, but I- “

Bucky cleared his throat to interrupt his brother in law, and they both looked up.

“Speak of the devil!” Bucky’s dad stood up and ushered them over to the sofa. Bucky was frowning suspiciously, while Steve seemed to be fighting back a grin. Bucky introduced the rest of his family as they sat down.

“So, Steve, we all know what Bucky’s had on his arm all these years, what about you? Which charming combination of words did he come up with to woo you with?” Bucky cringed while Steve laughed and held out his arm. Bucky had been shocked okay? He hadn’t exactly been thinking about the profanities that had left his mouth the first time he had met Steve, unfortunately. There was silence for almost a full minute, before both George and Will burst out laughing.

“Was that all you could come up with son? After all those times I heard you rehearsing your lines in your room?” Bucky cringed harder as Steve turned to smirk at him, but he was saved further embarrassment by the sound of his mom calling them for dinner.

They sat around the table, and it felt right, felt natural, to be a group of six. Becca had met Will five years ago, so for a long time, there had been an empty spot next to Bucky at the table, and it felt nice to have Steve by his side. Their arms brushed as they ate, and Bucky found himself smiling at Steve softly throughout the meal.

His parents were on top form, Winifred trying to fill Steve in on all the embarrassing childhood stories she could think of, and George quizzing him about the differences between 1945 and today. Steve seemed to be taking it all in his stride, thankfully, and the food was delicious.

Before long, Bucky’s dad was collecting the dishes and bringing them to the sink to wash, Will following along to dry. Steve tried to volunteer but hi was ushered out of the room by Winifred.

“Bucky, why don’t you give Steve the tour, I’m sure you want a little quiet time for yourselves.” This was suspicious, but Bucky shrugged it off. He was never allowed off dish duty, but he supposed that it wasn’t every day you brought home your soulmate for the first time.

Steve took his hand as they made their way around the house, pausing at family photos, and Bucky blushed when Steve asked what his mom had meant about his ninth birthday party.

“It, uh… It may have been Captain America themed...” Steve laughed, but his eyes were fond as he pulled Bucky closer.

“That’s the cutest thing I’ve ever heard, and I absolutely need to see that album.” He spoke in a low voice, wrapping his hands around Bucky and leaning in. Bucky’s eyes fluttered closed as he leaned up into the kiss, but then Steve was pulling away.

“Oh my god, is this you?” he asked, holding a picture which had been placed on a shelf by the front door. It was Bucky, at about fifteen years old, complete with baggy jeans and frosted tips, frowning at the camera alongside a grinning Becca as they stood in a nature park. This picture was not one which was normally displayed, which made Bucky pause. He shrugged it off again, though, pulling Steve back to him, and kissing him quickly on the lips.

“Please pretend you didn’t see that. It was a rough time in my life.” Steve laughed and gestured for the tour to continue. Bucky acquiesced and carried on, leading Steve upstairs.

“And here we have our final stop, also known as the childhood bedroom of yours truly.” Bucky opened the door and backed in as he continued, “Now, fair warning, it’s not exactly…“ But he cut himself off as Steve’s eyes widened and he let out a spluttering sound of surprise. Bucky turned around to look at the room and saw, well. His stuff.

His stuff that had not been up in this room for at least ten years, which Bucky had been sure was dumped when he left for college, but there it was. The bedspread, the posters, and god the teddy bears. All matching, all covered in that iconic red, white and blue.

“Wow, I guess you really were a fan, weren’t you?” Steve was clearly holding back laughter, but Bucky saw red as he heard the unmistakable giggle of Becca coming from down the hall.

“Goddamnit, Becks!” He ran out of the room as Becca squealed and ran down the stairs. He almost caught her as he backed her against the front door, but she opened it quickly and ran out, Bucky chasing her until he eventually grabbed her around the middle and hauled her over his shoulder. She struggled as he carried her back to the house, but by the time they got inside they were both laughing so hard they could barely speak. Steve stood, looking amused as Bucky’s dad held his hand out to accept a ten-dollar bill from Will.

The rest of the evening passed with the whole family in the living room, Bucky and Steve sitting so close they were practically in each other’s laps (purely because there was a shortage of sofa space, of course), and everyone talking idly about this and that.

The drive back to the city together later that night was calm and enjoyable, after Bucky apologized profusely for Becca, who it had turned out, had gone up to the attic and brought down all of Bucky’s old things which had been kept because Winifred hated to throw away something that Bucky had loved so much. Steve just laughed it off.

“I liked seeing that. I like knowing that I was part of your life, even before we met. I wish I could have known you before, but I’m so glad that you were the one SHIELD chose to be the historical expert when they found me.”

“I’m glad too, Stevie.” They pulled up to Bucky’s building and got out of the car. Steve had an apartment which SHIELD had provided for him, but Bucky invited him up for a while anyway, which turned into a night of cuddling on the sofa (This time with no need for an excuse), and trading idle kisses as they talked and talked, finally getting a chance to get to know each other.

At one point, Bucky wrapped his arm around Steve and felt an odd lump in his pocket which turned out to be the very same Captain America teddy bear which Bucky had slept with from the age of seven to far older than he was willing to admit.

“I thought it was adorable, I had to take it.”

“You’re such a sap.” Bucky took the teddy and tossed it across the room. “Besides, why bother with a teddy now that I have the real deal?”

After that, there wasn’t much more talking, but there was plenty of cuddling, until they both dozed off, squeezed onto Bucky’s tiny sofa, in his crappy apartment, both of them sleeping more soundly than they had since long before they met each other.


End file.
